Rail track traffic indicator system



Feb. 16, 1965 J. FRYBA RAIL. TRACK TRAFFIC INDICATOR SYSTEM Filed April 21, 1959 FIG] IELAYS @y1 gf) RELA YS RELAY C.2 37. RELAY byf FIG. 3

Inventor JOSEF FR YBA United States Patent O 3,169,734 RAIL TRACK TRAFFIC INDICATGR SYSTEM `losef Fryba, 153 Madison Ave., Toronto, Ontario, Canada Filed Apr. 21, 1959, Ser. No. 807,829 4 Claims. (Cl. 246-77) The present invention concerns a system for relaying information as to railway traflic ow and may be utilized to operate a trafllc control.

There has always been a necessity for sorne device or system by which it could be determined whether a given section of a railway line was free or occupied. There is a further need for a reliable traffic control system which will indicate not only when a train passes a certain spot but which will indicate in which direction the train is progressing and what portion of the train has passed over the spot.

To this end many devices, such as instant contactors or, as they are sometimes known, axle counters have been devised. Some of these devices are of the instantaneous or trip lever type whilst others are based on depression of a portion of the track, utilizing floating rails7 etc. Many of these devices suffer from grave disadvantages as to reliability. Furthermore, these devices serve only to record or relay information as to the passing of a train, but they do not provide information as to the direction in which the train is travelling.

A particular advantageous device of this nature obviating many of the drawbacks of the prior art is disclosed in Canadian Patent No. 548,226 Deflection Rail Contactor dated November 5, 1957. Even this device by itself is not able to relay information concerning the direction of traffic flow and occupancy of various portions of the track.

This invention is designed to utilize a rail deflection contactor of the type described in Canadian Patent No. 548,226 in such a manner as to provide information vitally necessary to traflic control in railways.

Moreover, the present system which envisages the use of a rail contactor of the type mentioned provides a more reliable system in that the control section while giving a series of short impulses, is operated by means of an extended Section of the rails (as opposed to the instantaneous contact devices and axle counters of the prior art) thereby eliminating false signals occasioned by oscillations created by shifting railway cars.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a railway track traflic indicator system.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a railway track traffic indicator system capable of providing information for recording not only traffic presence but direction of motion.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a railway track traflic indicator system capable of providing information for recording traflic quantity as well as direction of motion.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a railway track traffic indicator system capable of providing information for recording traffic presence, direction of motion and traffic clearance for given sections of track.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following description in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIGURE l shows a portion of a railway track fitted with rail deflection contactors and showing the location of passing train wheels in diagrammatic form;

3,16%,734 Patented Feb. 16, 1965 p iceY FIGURE 2 shows a wiring diagram for the connection of the rail deflection contactors of FIGURE 1 in accordance with the present invention and;

FIGURE 3 indicates schematically a system of the invention embodying control and intermediate sectors and relays within the control sectors for imparting information dependent upon train direction.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, there are shown in diagrammatic form, railway deflection contactors 10 and 11 disposed in rails 12 and 13 of the track. For a. fuller description of the rail deflection contactors 10 and 11 reference is made to Canadian Patent No. 548,226, dated November 5, 1957.

For the purposes of the present invention it is sufficient to note that the rail deflection contactors of a particular control sector are designed to operate over an extended portion of the track for example four yards. It will be seen that rail deflection contactor 10 and rail deflection contactor 11 are positioned in semi-consecutive or partly overlapping relationship, so that when a train axle or wheel pair, for example Wheel pair 14 moves from the position shown in FIGURE 1 and towards the position shown by wheel pair 15, it will cause the operation first of rail deflection contactor 10, then the operation of both contactors 10 and 11 and finally as it leaves the track section occupied by the contactors it will operate contactor 11 only. The contactors lil and 11 may conveniently be overlapped to their mid portions, i.e. so that the whole extent between the beginning of contactor 1f) and the end of contactor 11 would be approximately six yards. This distance can, of course, be Varied depending upon the length of the rail deflection contactors. It is important that the total length of the control sector, i.e. that portion of the rail covered by contactors 10 and 11 should be less than the distance between-axle 14 and axle 15, shown in FIGURE 1. This will cause intervals to occur between the operation of either ofthe contactors as a train passes. It will be noticed however, that axle groups may occur such as are represented by axle 15 and axle 16 where carriages are joined together or utilize group axles. The distance shown between axles 15 and 16 is less than six yards and it will become apparent that the occurrence of such a situation does not affect the operation of the invention as the axle group will operate in the same manner as a single wheel pair. In other words, although it is essential to the invention that intervals occur between the occupation of either of the contactors during the passage of a train, the system of the invention is not predicated upon an axle counter or wheel counter of the types known in the prior art.

It is only necessary that one iterval occur for each passage of a car. Rail deflection contactor 10 is provided with a deflection switch 17 shown diagrammatically occupying position 18, when contactor 10 is undeected, i.e. no train wheel is passing thereover, and occupying position 19, when rail contactor 10 is deflected, similarly rail contactor 11 is provided with deflection switch 2.0 occupying position 21 when the rail contactor is undeflected and position 22 when rail contactor 11 is in a deflected position.

Referring now to FIGURE 2 which Vshows a wiring diagram of a system of the invention, switches 17 and 20 are shown in positions 18 and 21 respectively, i.e. with rail deflection contactors 10 and 11 in the undeflected position. In this position it can be seen that no current can flow through switch 17 or 20 as contact in each line is broken Aby one of the switches to be described hereafter in detail.

The following is a description of the operation of the device upon passage of a train from leit to right, FGURE l. Vrlhe reference numerals designated prime in FlGURES 2 and 3 relate to those portions utilized in a right to left direction of train travel to be considered hereinafter, corresponding to those portions used only in theV left to right direction.

Szage iff-Upon the approach of a train (from the left in FIGURE l) rail deflection contacter iii will be depressed causing switch 17 to move from position i3 to position 19 allowing current Yto llow `through occupancy operation of relays '24 and 2d' respectively.

With the switches in thisposition current can pass from a to b (FIGURE 2) but through no other line even though line k, l, is closed as line n, d, is broken bythe breaking Vof contact 3i).

Vat this stage, i.e. switch 17 is still in position i9.

Upon the operation of contactorll, switch this moved from position 2l to position 22, thus closing linee-l. Presence relay 24 is not operated because as previously described, contact 3@ of switch 27 has been broken by the operation of presence relay 24.

Current isnow free to pass through lines a, k, m, b, and through lines c, l, k, m, b. The purpose of this will be- Y come apparent from a consideration of the nextstage.

Stage.3.--Further progress of the train axle lliwill bring it to a position where contacter l@ is released while contactor l1 'isf-still dellected. The release of contactor 16 causes switch i7 to return to position i8. This would normally cause a break in the current flow through presence relay24. But it will be noted that due to stage 2, current is still flowing along line c, l, k, m, b, and thus presence relay/24 is kept in operation, maintaining switch Vv25 in position ZS switch 26 in position 29 and switch 27 vflow through them; Such types of relay are well known yin telephone systems and are therefore not described -further except to note that the delay feature is important as explained hereafter.

The operation of delay relay 33 causes switch 35 to assume position 36, but current cannot llow through relay K 37 as switch 25 is held in position 29 by relay 24 and switchSS is normally open as shown.

Stage 4.-As the train leaves the segmentpof rail cov eredY by contactors 10 and 11, contacter 11 is deactivated causing switch Ztl to resume position A21. Thus, relay 24 is immediately deactivated as current no longer flows along c, l, Vk, m, b. Immediately relay 24 is deactivated switch 25 movesirom position 28 and switch 27 resumes i (FIGURE 1 its normal closed position Sil (note no current Ywill flow Vthroug'hrelay 2d because switch Ztl is in position 2l) Y Switch 26 is released from position 29 andV resumes its normal position 3%. This causes a break in line a, e, r, f,

Vand current ceases to activate delay relay 33. However,

as previously'explained, relay 33 Vis Va timed delay relay and maintains its effect after deactivation fora given` period say 1,60 second. During this period switch 3S remains in position 36 and switch 25 is lin position 39 so current can now along p, q, r, f, activating relay 37. The period of operation of relay 37 is thereby lixed to the delay of delay relay 33 and'thus relay 37 is a ixed period Jrelay or constant impulse relay. i There is one possibility that should rail derlection contacter 4Illbe operatedby a further train wheel arriving on that portion of the track before thev delay periodrof vrelay 33 `expired, kthe :switch Y 26 would be yreturned to position Y29 thus'breaking the circuit p, q, r, f and altering thertime of operation of re- 1 lay 37.` In order to obviateV this, relay 37 .is Vdesigned 'upon activation to operate switch 3S (normally open) to close switch 3S to position 4). Thus,Y current is free `as delay relay 33 dies,'switch 35 will openfand current will cease to now. Relay 37 'is thus ensured of a constant period'of operation.

lt has now been shown that the passing of a train axle 14 willv cause relay 37 to beV Operated for a fixed period which may be utilized to deliver a fixed impulse (to be explained hereinafter).

Cases may occur where the `distance between axlesis less than the total extent of the control sector of the rails. Such a situation is represented byraxlesfl and 16 Under these circumstances it Vwill bessen that no harm occurs, as relay l7'is only operated upon the clearance-of the control sector. The departure of axle '16 from the end of the control sector of the track will notoperate relay 37 as axle Vl5 will st-ill be causing Stages l, 2 or 3 described above tobcl in operation preventing Ycut out o'f relay 2li. Thus, under these circumstances, v

only one impulse will Vbe deliveredto or by relay 37. It is here Vagain emphasized that this invention does not provide a wheel or axlecounter.V However7 a specific determinahle number Vof impulses will occur with the passage of any particular train.

Reverse operation The foregoing description of operation of the device by a train proceeding in a left to right direction may be repeated for operation in the right to left direction, though utilizing components designated prime The designation prirnef` indicates portions'of thedevice only used inthe rightto-left direction but corresponding to diose used in the left to right direction.

4It will be apparent thatwhen` proceeding from rightto lett a train will first depress 'deflection contacter 11, `then .contactor l@ and'lL-thence releasing'contactor l1 and finally` releasing contactor 10 in the reverse order as described for left to right travel. 33' and 37 will each be operated by means oiswitches .and switch positions identical to those -used in operation of relays 24, 33 and 37. Switches 17 'andZtl are utilized Vwhen the traineapproaches from either directionsince they Yare directly related to the deilection of contactorsltl and C2 comprises the rail deflection contactors of FIGURE lV `and-the circuitry ofY FIGURE 2 with re1ays`37 and '37 shown diagrammatically` `for earch Vofy control sectors C1 and C2 respectively.-

In this manner relays 24',

Thus as previously described, a train passing from A to B will cause a given number of impulses to be delivered by relay 37 in sector C1. As previously described these impulses (or even the earlier operation of relay 24) may be used to activate anoccupancy indicator, but it is contemplated that this invention could be used as follows:

The relays 37, (left to right direction) and 37' (right to left direction) operate a control device (not shown), in the manner following, for example as a train passes out of section A into section B the passage of the train over the deection contactors and 11 (FIGURE l) in control section C1 causes the operation of the circuitry shown in FIGURE 2 as previously described and delivers X impulses from relay 37 (C1). This information is caused to operate an occupied signal for section B. Upon leaving section B and entering section D the train will cause the same number of impulses X to be delivered from relay 37 of control section C2. This is arranged through suitable means known to the art, to release the occupied signal for section B. lt will be noted, however, that as relays 37 etc. give an impulse of definite duration it is possible to arrange a system whereby the number of impulses are recorded, as the occupied signal can only be released by a similar number of impulses from relay 37', (C2) showing that the whole train has passed on to section D, or alternatively be released by a similar number of impulses from relay 37 (C1) showing that the whole train has reversed and passed back onto section A. The release impulses from relay 37 (C1) would also serve to operate the occupied signal for section A.

For example, should a train delivering X impulses to the control system C1 pass from A to B and then detach part of the train leaving some cars in section B it will deliver a lesser number of impulses say (x-y) to control system C2 (relay 37) as it passes to section D. The x-y impulse delivered to relay 37 (C2) will operate the occupied signal for section D but will be insufficient to free the occupied signal for section B, showing that cars have been left on the tracks.

It will thus be seen that the system of the invention can be utilized in a variety of ways to provide superior information as to the direction and extent of traffic flow and occupancy of the tracks and concomitantly superior control means for train trafiic.

The relays and delay relays referred to in this invention can be of known types, for example, similar to those used in current telephone systems and thus the advantage of comparative cheapness can be added to those advantages already enumerated.

The advance in the art provided by the instant invention will permit the operation of various control systems and it is contemplated that the invention may be utilized not only on straight tracks but on sidings, switch lines, crossings, etc.

It will be appreciated and is contemplated that variations and modifications may be made within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

What I claim is:

l. A railway track traffic indicator system comprising: presence relay means intermittently operated by the passing of a train; delay relay means operable during part of the period of operation of said presence relay means; relay means operable upon deactivation of said presence means and of the said delay relay means providing a predetermined duration signal independent of the period of operation of said presence relay means and said delay relay means; second presence relay means intermittently operated by the passing of a train; delay relay means associated with said second presence relay means and operable during part of the period of operation of said presence relay means; second relay means operable upon deactivation of said second presence relay means and said associated delay relay means to provide a predetermined duration signal independent of the period of operation of said second presence relay means and said associated delay relay means; first and second actuator means actuating said presence relay means; said actuator means being disposed in opposite rails in the track in semi overlapping staggered relationship whereby said actuators will. be operated in sequence by the passage of a train wheel pair; and holding switch means associated with each said presence relay means whereby the first actuated of said presence relay means is held in operation throughout the actuation of both said actuators.

2. A railway track traffic indicator system comprising: at least one control sector in the track; a first rail deflection contactor and a second rail defiection contactor disposed in partially overlapping staggered relationship in opposite rails of the track; separate relay means normally actuatable upon operation of said first or second rail deflection contactors respectively; holding switch means operated by the first activated of said presence relay means to maintain the operation of said first activated presence relay means during occupancy of the control sector by a train wheel pair and to prevent operation of the presence relay means normally operated by the other rail deflection contactor; delay relay means having a predetermined delay period after deactivation, said delay relay means being operable during part of the period of operation of said activated relay means; switch means operated by said delay relay means and held thereby after deactivation thereof during the period of delay of said delay relay means; and means actuatable upon deactivation of said presence relay means and said delay relay means during the period of delay of said delay relay means thereby producing a predetermined duration signal contact.

3. A railway track traffic indicator system comprising: at least one control sector in the track; a first actuator means disposed over .a portion of one rail of said control sector; a second actuator means disposed over a portion of the other rail of said control sector, said actuators being in staggered overlapping relationship; a first presence relay circuit operated by said first actuator means; a second presence relay circuit operated by said second actuator means, one of said first or second presence relay circuits being closed upon initial activation of one of said first or second actuator means respectively; switch means operated by the first activated presence relay circuit to break the other presence relay circuit; switch means operated by the first activated presence relay circuit to hold said circuit closed during the operation of both actuator means; a first delay relay circuit in parallel with said first presence relay circuit; a second delay relay circuit in parallel with said second presence relay circuit; switch means operated by said activated presence relay means to partially complete the circuit in the associated parallel delay relay circuit; switch means associated with said actuator means to complete the said partially completed parallel delay relay circuit upon the release of said first activated actuator means; a separate indicator relay circuit in parallel with each said first and second presence relay circuits; switch means in said indicator relay circuits and responsive respectively to activation of said first or second delay relay means to partially close one of said circuits; further normally closed switch means in said indicator relay circuits said switch means in said partially closed indicator relay circuit being held open by the operation of said activated presence relay means, whereby upon deactivation of said activated presence relay means said last mentioned switch closes, completing the one indicator relay circuit, said circuit remaining closed during the predetermined delay period afforded by the activated delay relay means thus permitting a predetermined duration signal impulse to pass through the circuit, and a holding switch means in said indicator relay circuit whereby reactivation of the presence relay means does not interrupt said circuit 1 FOREIGN PATENTS before the expiration of said Vpredetermined period. 373,649 5 /32 VGreat Britain 4. A railway track traic indicatorsystem as cl-amedin Y Y 441866 5 /35 Great Britain claim 3 in Which ille `actuator means overlap each .oler 492 694 9/38 Great Britain by approximately half their Vlength. r5 l 156,724 5/5 4 Australie References Cited 'bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS l Y 2,856,539 l10/58 -orthuber er a1 246-169 LEO QUACKENBUSH "imm 'Ex'm'v' 

1. A RAILWAY TRACK TRAFFIC INDICATOR SYSTEM COMPRISING: PRESENCE RELAY MEANS INTERMITTENTLY OPERATED BY THE PASSING OF A TRAIN; DELAY RELAY MEANS OPERABLE DURING PART OF THE PERIOD OF OPERATION OF SAID PRESENCE RELAY MEANS; RELAY MEANS OPERABLE UPON DEACTIVATION OF SAID PRESENCE MEANS AND OF THE SAID DELAY RELAY MEANS PROVIDING A PREDETERMINED DURATION SIGNAL INDEPENDENT OF THE PERIOD OF OPERATION OF SAID PRESENCE RELAY MEANS AND SAID DELAY RELAY MEANS; SECOND PRESENCE RELAY MEANS INTERMITTENTLY OPERATED BY THE PASSING OF A TRAIN; DELAY RELAY MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID SECOND PRESENCE RELAY MEANS AND OPERABLE DURING PART OF THE PERIOD OF OPERATION OF SAID PRESENCE RELAY MEANS; SECOND RELAY MEANS OPERABLE UPON DEACTIVATION OF SAID SECOND PRESENCE RELAY MEANS AND SAID ASSOCIATED DELAY RELAY MEANS TO PROVIDE A PREDETERMINED DURATION SIGNAL INDEPENDENT OF THE PERIOD OF OPERATION OF SAID SECOND PRESENCE RELAY MEANS AND SAID ASSOCIATED DELAY RELAY MEANS; FIRST AND SECOND ACTUATOR MEANS ACTUATING SAID PRESENCE RELAY MEANS; SAID ACTUATOR MEANS BEING DISPOSED IN OPPOSITE RAILS IN THE TRACK IN SEMI OVERLAPPING STAGGERED RELATIONSHIP WHEREBY SAID ACATUATORS WILL BE OPERATED IN SEQUENCE BY THE PASSAGE OF A TRAIN WHEEL PAIR; AND HOLDING SWITCH MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH EACH SAID PRESENCE RELAY MEANS WHEREBY THE FIRST ACTUATED OF SAID PRESENCE RELAY MEANS IS HELD IN OPERATION THROUGHOUT THE ACTUATION OF BOTH SAID ACTUATORS. 